Not since Jesse Ventura have we seen the kind of political theater that accompanies Rep. Michele Bachmann these days.

Today, she and her opponent, Rep. Elwyn Tinklenberg, are debating in the first half hour of MPR’s Midday.

The TV cameras are set up outside the studio…

The reporters from TV, radio and newspapers are crammed into the Midday control room…

Bachmann supporters waved signs at the back door of the News Cut World Headquarters — a dead-end street where there’s absolutely no traffic, by the way.

After a group of them held a Bible reading in the lobby…

Sent by the campaign, they provided the backdrop for the candidate meeting the people…

The media didn’t have a Bible reading, but they may have been praying that Bachmann would say something “outrageous,” which is why they used to flock here when Jesse was on the air.

Just like old times

When the debate started…

Gary Eichten asked about the Hardball comments in which Bachmann said the media should investigate the unAmerican wing of Congress. She said it’s a non-issue that only the media — not the people — care about. Tinklenberg countered that her view is “not credible.”

About the blogger

Bob Collins has been with Minnesota Public Radio since 1992, emigrating to Minnesota from Massachusetts where he was vice president of programming for Berkshire Broadcasting Company. Previously, he was an editor at the RKO Radio network in New York, and WHDH Radio in Boston. He is the founder of the MPR News’ website.

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Gary, please try to hold Michele to the truth. She won’t say yes or no as to whether Obama is un-American.

She lies about who is getting tax cuts vs. not.

And now, she’s a “maverick”, fighting against Bush.

Please, try to force her to tell the truth!!!

Michael Miles

Gary Eichten is not a fair moderator of these debates, but is helping Bachman by pressing Bachman’s attacks. I’m outta here. The music on 89.3 is much easier to listen to than this dribble. I suggest getting someone smarter than Eichten to do future debates. He just isn’t perceptive enough.

jen joseph

She is unbelievably ridiculious. She interrupts, she lies, she evades the questions.

Gary- please ask her Bachmann, if she were to be re-elected, how could she find it in her heart to work with other senators and actually get things done, given her current distaste for democrats, her obvious partisanship, and her untenable stance that taxes must be cut.

jen joseph

oops- correction to above: I erred when I asked how she could work with other senators. Obviously, she is in the House of Reps, not teh Senat. Mea culpa.

Joel

it’s a non-issue that only the media — not the people — care about.

I care. Does that mean I’m not part of the people?

Deborah

Bachmann kept repeating that she voted against her party multiple times in favor of MN, but she never said what, other than the bailout which happened this month, that she voted against. Since Eichten never asked the question, does anybody know?

Jim!!!

Cripes 6th district – get rid of that nutbag! And I quote:

“God then called me to run for the United States Congress, and I thought “What in the world will that be for?” and my husband said “You need to do this,” and I wasn’t so sure, and we took 3 days and we fasted and we prayed and we said, “Lord. Is this what you want? Is this your will?” and after long about the afternoon of day two, he made that calling sure.”

brian

“if she were to be re-elected, how could she find it in her heart to work with other senators and actually get things done, given her current distaste for democrats, her obvious partisanship, and her untenable stance that taxes must be cut.”

This is a reason that I’m not all that worried if she is re-elected. She is embarrassing, but at least she will never be able to get anything that she wants done in Congress.

http://www.trailblz.com Brian Hanf

Speaking of Jesse he is on the Alex Jones national radio show at noon today, http://www.gcnlive.com/, click the right hand link for the live broadcast. In the middle is a interview from earlier in the week. Dean Barkley will be on at 12:30, disclosure my company is doing work for Barkley.

Carolynn

When Michelle Bachmann decided not to answer the “anti-american” question, it demonstrated her total missing the point of why her comment has caused such controversy. She is prompting Americans to buy into her and the Bush adminstration’s philosophy of fear, especially fear of “the other” . Michelle: that policy does not foster understanding or working together. You said it, you obviously believe it deep down, and oops, your slip is showing. Now you try to ignore it and it just gets bigger. We are trying to change America to reflect its ideals, not divide people and make us fear each other.

Alison

I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Bible readers were probably not reading the part with the commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” Or perhaps the Congresswoman wasn’t there when they read that verse.

Renee

“Bachmann supporters waved signs at the back door of the News Cut World Headquarters — a dead-end street where there’s absolutely no traffic, by the way.”

A metaphor for where Bachmann is headed?

Let’s hope so.

Bill Prendergast

I told you so, Bob. Two years ago, I told you so. You didn’t want to listen.

Bob Collins

I’m hardly calling the race, Bill, nor commenting on the candidate, just observing that there’s a show around her now.

Are you saying the race is over?

Disgusted Woodbury resident

I am one Sixth District voter who is fed up with Bachmann’s antics. She was rude, interrupting and talking out of turn. Tinklenberg was much too polite, saying she was “not credible.” What he should have said was that her ad saying he “broke the law” and “raised taxes 24%” failed the KSTP “Truth Test” miserably. I don’t know what to make of someone who is willing to lie about a man of the cloth in order to get reelected. Please, let’s vote her out!

Candi

Hey Michelle – I care that you want to bring back McCarthyism. Maybe it’s a non-issue because everyone realizes that you’re a nutcase? But the idea that you, and others in your party, are trying to bring back such a dark period in our history, suggesting that members Democratic party are un-American in an effort to instill fear in voters, is inexcusable.

George F

I am not going to boo her. I am going to vote!

Bill Prendergast

No Bob. I wasn’t “calling the race.” It was just a personal reminder to you, that I told you two years ago that this particular politician was a nut, a liar, and a bigot

I sent you stuff that indicated that; quotes from her talks on radio and before local groups that indicated she was extremist. I also sent you stuff that indicated that she was a Minnesota protege of the national political evangelical machine.

You didn’t want to hear it, you wrote that you didn’t see how Bachmann’s kind of Christianity was any more relevant than your mother’s–what was it, Methodism?

You also explained then that you didn’t think it mattered very much who was elected to Congress, you wrote something about who cares who goes to Washington D.C. to give a prize to a volleyball team, or some such nonsense.

I’m just reminding you that you had a chance to stop a McCarthy in miniature, right here in Minnesota–but you just weren’t interested.

As for the horse race prediction thing–I know that fascinates some professionals like you; me, no. For me, writing on politics should be about investigating nuts and crooks so people will be less likely to vote for them.